Photo via Milwaukee Rep
Although Americans of African heritage have always been a minority in this country, they have exerted an influence over music out of proportion to their numbers. Without Black performers, most of the music considered distinctly American would never have existed. Without them, no ragtime, no gospel, no blues, no Dixieland or swing, no R&B, no rock and roll, no hip-hop.
Perhaps the most prominent female jazz vocalist of the last century, Ella Fitzgerald will be honored this month by the Milwaukee Rep in their first live show since the pandemic. First Lady of Song stars Alexis J. Roston, role-playing and singing selections from Fitzgerald’s repertoire.
Roston has drawn national attention and earned several awards for performances in a variety of musicals including Don’t Make Me Over— A Tribute to Dionne Warwick and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, her previous show with the Rep.
“Music came first perhaps,” Roston says when asked about singing versus acting. “My mother’s recollection is that when the doctor slapped me on the butt and proclaimed, ‘It's a girl,’ I was already wailing. Ergo, I’ve been singing as long as I’ve been alive. Even so, the theater bug bit me early as well. My mother is an avid theater-goer and almost always was I in lock-step with her whenever she got the urge to visit any one of the myriad of theaters Chicago has to offer. Sitting in a theater, entranced by a performer onstage who looked like I looked, was the epiphanic moment that planted the seed for my now seasoned career.”
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Although Fitzgerald began as an impoverished Harlem girl, she came to epitomize grace and success as a Black performer. Billie Holiday, the subject of Lady Day, is remembered as a more tragic figure.
“My first task is to always pay homage. I purposefully promote the value of each artist's merits,” Roston explains. “I seek the dignity and humanity of the artist first and foremost. The main difference is the artists’ lived experiences—Billie being bold and brazen while Ella a bit more shy and reserved. Their lifestyles alone garner the varying approach in my portrayal of them. I’ll admit that vocally, I tend not to guard my instrument as much with Billie as I do with Ella. A month out from performing an Ella show, I cut out all alcoholic beverages, add more rest to my schedule and make a valiant effort to stay hydrated. Not as much care with Billie considering she indulged in drinking, drugging and the nightlife. My biggest challenge comes with Ella due to how extremely pure her tone was. Making sure the joy and tenderness of her sound is boosted becomes paramount for me. With Billie, there is a melancholic overtone to her sound although I believe she fiercely, fearlessly and feverishly sung every single note, sober or high. In addition, I make no attempt at mimicking Ella whilst I wholeheartedly delve into Billie's iconic sound.”
For this run of First Lady of Song, the set will be bare, which allows the audience to focus on the music— “and my gorgeous gowns,” Roston adds, laughing. “In keeping with the theme of the Pandemic, less is best. No need to risk bringing in crew and technicians. It’s a concert.”
The set list includes such standards from the Great American Songbook as “I Got Rhythm,” “Misty,” “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” “Cry Me a River,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Summertime,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Night and Day” and more. “None of the selections are chronologically placed,” Roston explains. “The songs are woven together to enhance and highlight the tidbits of information surrounding Ella’s life and career, with an occasional fun fact about yours truly.”
What does an artist like Ella Fitzgerald say to us today? Roston didn’t hesitate. “You remember artists like Ella because she’s absolutely unforgettable,” she responded. “She's excellence personified. Her contribution to the American Songbook is a legacy you never want to let die. Ella is the prototype from which many jazz improvisationalists build their foundations. Being an African-American female singer, remembering Ella is synonymous with knowing whose shoulders on which I stand, that have given me grace and afforded me an avenue by which I may reach my dreams.”
First Lady of Song: Alexis J. Roston Sings Ella Fitzgerald will be performed April 27 through May 23 at the Quadracci Powerhouse. For tickets and more information, visit milwaukeerep.com.
